


Broken Seals of a Pure World

by BlackCorruption13



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Naruto
Genre: AU, Character Deaths, Gen, Harry Potter: EWE, Implied Mpreg, M/M, Mpreg, Naruto: EWE, Past Mpreg, Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-04
Updated: 2014-12-16
Packaged: 2018-02-28 02:14:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2715209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackCorruption13/pseuds/BlackCorruption13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Senju Haruki, once known as Harry Potter in another world and another life, suddenly finds himself out of time after waking up from a long sleep. Follow Haruki as he navigates this new time he'd suddenly found himself in, all the while helping the village of Konoha rebuild, be a shinobi, and find out the truth of what happened to him. [SLASH/AU, HP:EWE]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first ever fic and it's a crossover, so go easy on me. Also, this is SLASH, so if you don't like it, don't read it. I own absolutely NOTHING of Naruto and Harry Potter (except maybe my plot bunny and any OC that might pop up), and I'm doing this for my own amusement, as well as for those who would appreciate my efforts at story-telling. This is AU for both series and EWE for Harry Potter. Harry and any HP characters will be given Japanese names when they interact with Naruto characters, but will still be using their original names from HP when they refer to each other. Enjoy~!

Green eyes opened and with a gasp of air, achieved consciousness. Waking up like he did was an experience he didn’t relish doing anytime soon. Harry James Potter, or Senju Haruki as he is now known as since coming to this world, is in what appears to be a very confined space. If it were any other situation, it would’ve been better to say it was a coffin. But being in a coffin would mean he was dead, and if he was dead, then breathing would be unnecessary.

 

Ghosts didn’t breathe, and with the ghosts he’d encountered before, as well as all the other undead, they didn’t breathe either. He had to get out of this somehow, because as much as realizing that he is in fact alive, actually dying now in that condition and in a place like this is not his idea of a good end. Air will become scarce, and with that thought, getting out of this prison is suddenly starting to become a good idea.

 

Using all his strength, he put his arms in front of him and pushed upward from his lying position. Opening the coffin (because what else would you call it?), Haruki got up and began to see where he is. It’s dark, like in the coffin but not as dark. With a muttered a _Lumos,_ light appeared in his left palm illuminating the room. He then threw the light to a corner of the room and conjured three more lights and threw them to the three other corners, completely illuminating the room with it.

 

The room itself is quite large with a very high ceiling. The walls were made of stone, as well as the floors and ceiling. He looked up and began to search around, seeing pillars going high to the ceiling and some sort of raised dais of which he was currently on. However, the only thing of note in this room is the sarcophagus from which he had woken from. There was nothing actually special about this room, this seemingly grand hall. Looking down to where the coffin lay, there are seals on the floor surrounding it in a circular fashion. The coffin itself held seals strapped to it but many are torn and dilapidated, some of the ink fading from age.

 

Confused as to how he got there in the first place, he proceeded to conjure a mirror and check himself for injuries or anything that can give him any clues. He didn’t feel any different. Looking at the mirror, there also seems nothing amiss. Strange, nothing seems to have changed. In fact, his hair still looks like a mess (or a rat’s nest, depending on who you ask) and it’s still black, reaching to his shoulders and framing his face. His scar is still there on his forehead and nicely covered by bangs. He did notice however, that he is wearing white robes, similar to what a deceased person would be wearing. He didn’t remember wearing this particular outfit.  

 

In fact, he distinctly remembers wearing a green yukata and matching slippers. He also remembers that he was in the surrounding forests of Konoha, picking up herbs for potion-making. He was minding his own business when suddenly, darkness and then nothing. Next thing he knows, he’s here in this dark room. “ _Where is this place? How long have I been here? More importantly, what am I doing here?”_ he thought. Getting out from this accursed place seems like a good idea right about now.

 

Haruki proceeded to walk a long way towards the other end of this mysterious room. Getting down from the raised platform proved difficult especially seeing as he just woke up from what appears to be a long sleep; his muscles needing to get used to movement. Reaching the very edge of the hall, Haruki looked back from where he came from. From where he’s standing, this place very much resembles a shrine, or even a tomb. The thought sent shivers down his spine. Who would want to entomb him, when he’s clearly very much alive?

 

He then looked at the door. It’s locked, but a simple _Alohomora_ did the trick and it opened. It revealed a spiral staircase going up. Putting his palm in front of him, he murmured another _Lumos_ and cancelled the lights in the previous room. He then climbed up slowly making sure nothing is amiss; this place could be trapped for all he knows.

 

It’s quite a long ways up, concluding that wherever he must be is underground. HIs suspicions were proven right when at the end of his trek he was met with a trap door overhead. Another _Alohomora_ opened it to reveal a shrine or temple of some sort. The big fan symbol on the top was a big giveaway to where he was currently: the Uchiha District.

 

While getting out from beneath the shrine was simple enough, getting out of the shrine itself is a different thing altogether; the temple doors are apparently barred from the outside.

 

Wanting to leave as soon as possible, he raised his right hand and shouted, “ _BOMBARDA!”_ blasting the temple doors open with tremendous force and destroying the heavy wooden doors. The explosion caused him to cover his face and close his eyes to protect them from the debris. Just as the smoke cleared, Haruki headed outside.

 

Once outside, he walked along the streets of the Uchiha district, finding things have changed since he’d been here last. _“Strange, people should be checking out that ruckus. Why is the police force not investigating?”_ he thought. Usually they’d be on to you with that kind of stunt, especially on their own turf.

 

Treading along, he recognized his surroundings. Some houses he’d seen before, others are completely new.  He didn’t stop to dwell on this peculiarity for long though, it’s not like he came here all the time; the Uchiha clan were quite a paranoid bunch when it came to outsiders, and especially those who carried the name Senju.

 

He also noticed the silence. _“It’s too quiet,”_ he thought, _“I wonder where the people are.”_ Some of the buildings, he noticed, showed signs of disuse and he couldn’t shake the feeling that the whole place looks and feels like a ghost town.

 

 _“Where is everyone? Isn’t this the main street? People should be here walking around!”_ he thought.

 

When he reached the entrance to the district, a feeling of dread overcame Haruki. “I’m getting a bad feeling about all this,” he muttered loudly. Everything he’d seen so far has been nothing short of suspicious. Deciding to get answers, he thought that the best way to get them would be to return to the village proper. The Hokage would surely have some answers for him. If not, there are people he could ask to investigate about what happened to him.

 

If nothing else, he’d at least know that everyone is alright.

 

He decided to make a run for it, not wasting anytime. The Uchiha clan lived near the outskirts of Konohagakure, and it wasn’t that far from the village. As he approached the village he’s starting to hear lots of screaming and explosions.

 

 _“Fighting!”_ he thought. _“Didn’t the Senju make peace with the Uchiha? Is that why their district is abandoned, they’re fighting again?”_ He distinctly remembered the peace treaty between Uchiha and the Senju when they founded the first shinobi village. The worry he felt earlier increased and he ran faster. The Hokage wouldn’t put up with this, there has to be an explanation.

 

*             *             *

 

When he entered the village, he felt anxiety and confusion. Just yesterday, the village of Konoha didn’t look like it did now with its taller buildings and such, and it certainly wasn’t in absolute bedlam, with its walls crumbling and smoke going up to the sky. There certainly weren’t giant snakes there as well.

 

 _“What’s the bloody hell’s going on?”_ he thought. Going further in Haruki can see the conflict first-hand. He recognized the Konoha shinobi fighting against what appears to be Sunagakure shinobi. There were also shinobi wearing hitai-ate with the symbol of a musical note, which he didn’t recognize. Casting disillusionment and notice-me-not charms on himself, he came a bit closer, sticking to the walls so he wouldn’t get in the way of the crossfire.

 

When the shinobi villages were first formed, there wasn’t any conflict between the different countries as far as he knew. He was part of the Senju but that didn’t mean he was privy to most of the clan’s secrets like the others, and he certainly wasn’t allowed in government, not that he wanted to be. The others said it was to protect him. _“Bollocks”_ he thought.

 

Though it certainly wasn’t a fair fight, what with Konoha apparently against Suna and those other mysterious shinobi from an unknown village, it seems that the home team is somehow holding on their own. As a former Gryffindor, he couldn’t let this slide. Deciding to help out his fellow Konoha nin, he started formulating a strategy. He’ll fight his way through the village and cut down every enemy he sees if he had to and find the Hokage, and finally learn what the hell’s going on in this place.

 

With a muttered words, he proceeded to changed his white robes from the shrine into his battle gear: a black dragon hide jacket with short sleeves reaching to his biceps and coat tails reaching all the way to mid-calf with the symbol of the Senju Clan at the back, as well as on the collars; a mesh armor covered by a green vest made of Acromantula silk underneath the jacket; black fingerless gloves made of the same dragon hide as his jacket; his pants were black, also made of Acromantula silk held up by a black belt made of dragon scales from a Hungarian Horn-Tail with the buckle bearing the symbol of Konoha, and black combat boots of the same material as his jacket and gloves reaching mid-calf. Attached to his belt and located at the back was a bottomless pouch stocked with kunai, shuriken, tags and seals, as well as potions of all types. Lastly, there was his hitai-ate that he wore as a headband effectively covering his once infamous scar. It was given to him by the Hokage when the village of Konoha was just starting out.

 

Shortly after donning his battle gear, Haruki came out of his hiding place and dispelled his disillusionment and notice-me-not charms. He then proceeded to the nearest fighting where a 3-man Genin team was being attacked by what seemed like adult enemy shinobi. Although a Genin is considered an adult by other shinobi, years from his old life before he came to this world conditioned him that though these children are trained killers, they are just that: children.

 

The three Genin were being surrounded by at least seven adult shinobi both from Suna and that unknown village. He approached them just as one of them attacked, and shouted, “Look out!” The kids heard him and looked up. Two were able to dodge what looked like a sand-based jutsu cast by a Suna Nin from above while hanging off the side of a building.

 

One of the children however, a boy around eleven or twelve, got hit at the side and was thrown backwards when the he attempted to dodge. He got caught just as the jutsu’s direction was changed at the last minute. He’s bleeding but luckily he’s still conscious. His two friends then rushed to his side, kunai raised and ready to defend him.

 

Haruki knew that he had to get to them, if he’s to hope they live. Concentrating and picturing the location in his mind, he _Apparated_ beside the children. With a loud _crack_ , all shinobi in the immediate vicinity suddenly looked to where he appeared and for a while were stunned with the appearance of a new-comer.

 

A shinobi with the musical note hitai-ate overcame his momentary daze and threw a few kunai toward Haruki and the Genin, which stopped in mid-air and dropped to ground.

 

Haruki then raised his left hand and said, “Avada Kedavra!” Green light burst forth and hit the shinobi as he tried to cover his eyes from the blinding light. The others were stunned as their comrade dropped dead when the light hit him. Before they could react however, Haruki cast a mass paralysis spell against the remaining enemy Nin, paralyzing them but keeping them aware and vulnerable.

 

“Don’t just stand there, now’s your chance!  ATTACK!” he said to the awed Genin.

 

The two uninjured Genin snapped out of it and quickly dispatched the stunned enemies.

 

The girl of the team pulled out all the stops and proceeded to throw everything she had on one of the Suna Nin; the other Genin, another boy enlarged his arms, then proceeded to pummel another enemy to death. Haruki produced fire balls on both hands and blasted the enemy two at a time; the Genin were able to kill one each.

 

When they were done, Haruki looked to the injured one and asked, “Are you alright?”

 

“I’ll be okay.” He winced adding, “How troublesome.”

 

“Shika~!”

“Shikamaru!”

 

“You okay?” The two Genin asked as they approached their friend. They were now aware of the new-comer who came to help them just in time. They helped their friend stand up from his sitting position, and though it was a bit difficult, they succeeded in helping him up. The injured boy’s shoulders were sagged and his left hand was across his chest and was holding his bleeding right side, where he got hurt.

 

“Thanks a lot! I thought we were done for. They almost got us!” The girl said. Now that Haruki got a good look at her, he noted that she had blonde hair and blue eyes. Her teammate, the uninjured one is rotund, and mentally

 

“Don’t mention it. I just couldn’t let those thugs win, it wasn’t a fair fight.” Haruki said.

 

“I’ve never heard of those jutsus you just did, but that was incredible. Not to sound suspicious or anything, but who are you?” The injured boy asked, seemingly awed and suspicious at the same time. He has that calculating look about him that made Haruki feel like he was being profiled to within an inch of his life. “You’re wearing a Konoha hitai-ate and Konoha symbols, but I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”

 

“Oh well, I am Senju Haruki. And as you can see, I’m also a shinobi of Konoha. Who might you kids be? Mind telling me your names?”

 

“Senju? You’re part of the Senju Clan? Really?!?” the girl asked with a bit of incredulity.

 

“I am most assuredly a member of the Senju!” Haruki said defensively. Why would he lie about who he is?

 

“Stop being troublesome Ino. In any case, I’m Nara Shikamaru, that guy over there is Akimichi Chouji. That troublesome-“

“Hey!!!” interjected the girl

“-girl is Yamanaka Ino. We’re from Team Asuma.”  Shikamaru said pointing at his teammates one by one as he introduced them.

 

“Asuma, is that your sensei’s name?” He’d never heard of such a team before.

 

“Yeah, that’s our Jounin sensei! You don’t recognize Team Asuma? Aren’t you a Konoha shinobi?” asked Chouji.

 

“I _am_ a Konoha shinobi, but that doesn’t mean I know _every_ team there is. I don’t even know what’s going on. I just woke up from a coma not too long ago, to this.” replied Haruki pointing out to the general direction of the destruction in the village. “What the bloody hell’s going on?”

 

“Suna used the Chuunin Exams to instigate an invasion of Konoha. And it’s not just Suna too, another village is in on it.” Said Ino.

 

“Yes, I’ve noticed that there are other shinobi besides Suna. What village are they from?” asked Haruki, looking towards the body of one of the enemy Nin they felled. As far as he knew there were only five shinobi nations, with Konoha and Suna among them. Who are these upstarts?

 

”Those are Oto-Nin, from Otogakure no Sato. They’re a new village as far we know. No one really knows much about them, except that they’re helping Suna invade and destroy Konoha.” Replied Shikamaru, looking to where Haruki was looking at.

 

“I see.  A lot’s changed since before I woke up then.” Said Haruki, the latter muttered more to himself than to the children. Looking at the injured Genin, he asked, “How are you holding up? That looks bad. Can you move?”

 

“Yeah, I’ll be okay. There isn’t any Medic-Nin nearby. We’ll just have to find somewhere to get some rest and maybe wait this out a bit. We’re trying to catch up on some of our friends chasing some of the enemy to outside the village.” Shikamaru said, wincing when he tried to move forward and accidentally jostled his injury. His teammates were immediately on to him, supporting him before he was about to fall.

 

“You wouldn’t happen to have anything that might help, would you Senju-san?” asked Chouji looking very concerned about his friend.

 

Taking pity on the boy, Haruki opened his pouch and started rummaging for something to help. He pulled out a few bottles and gave it to Ino.

 

“As matter of fact, I do. Ino-kun, take these and give them to Shikamaru-kun. The red bottle is for blood replenishment, while the blue one is for the pain. Have a care in taking these though, they taste like horse piss.” Said Haruki a bit sheepishly at the last statement and handing the bottles to Ino while Chouji supported Shikamaru. Ino took the proffered bottles, thanking Haruki for them.

 

“You’re a Medic-Nin Haruki-san?” Asked Chouji, curious about the mysterious man’s

 

“I am yes. You’re quite lucky I ran into you three when I did.  I made these potions myself so I can guarantee their effectivity. Give him the one for pain first so he can move. When you kids can find a safer place, Shikamaru, drink from the red bottle.”

 

Ino opened the blue bottle and helped Shikamaru drink the contents while Chouji held him still. To say that the taste is foul would be an understatement. It took all of Shikamaru’s will power not to gag at the taste. The effects though were almost instantaneous. The pain dulled to a point where he can almost ignore it. What kind of medicine is this, he wondered, and just who is this Senju Haruki? This all seems too good to be true.

 

There hasn’t been a Senju in years. In fact, they’re most likely extinct, just like the Uchiha; the man could be lying about his identity. Strange though it seems, he didn’t think he was. Senju Haruki seems to actually be who he says he is. It’s not a definite fact, but it’s what his gut’s telling him. At any rate, he shouldn’t be looking a gift horse in the mouth, and besides, this isn’t the time or the place. There’s a war going on and they need to find a safer place to recuperate a bit, then find other Konoha shinobi and help defend the village. Troublesome.

 

“Right then, now that the immediate threats have been dealt with, I need to go back to searching for the Hokage. I’ve had a bad feeling the moment I decided to come here. Now that you told me about this invasion, I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to this. Do you know where he is?”

 

“He’s probably somewhere near the stadium. That’s where the Chuunin Exam finals were being held, and that’s where we last saw the Hokage when the attacks started.” Replied Chouji.

 

“Alright then that’s where I’ll be headed. Which way is it again?”

 

“North-North East from this position. You can’t miss it, it’s big. You should be careful though, a lot of fighting’s going on over there.” Said Ino.

 

“Don’t you worry about me, you kids get to safety. Take care!”

 

With a loud crack, Haruki disappeared, leaving the three Genin to wonder about the mysterious stranger who helped them and who apparently belongs to an extinct clan. Whatever the reason he has for seeking the Hokage, they hope he’ll find him. Maybe they’ll see him again when all this is over.

 

**~Tsudzuku…~**


	2. Arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No copyright infringement meant, this is just for fun. Also, I don’t have a Beta, so if there are any mistakes, they’re all mine. I do double-check everything before publishing, though, so maybe I got away with it?

With a loud crack, Haruki appeared on a roof deck of some building some distance from where he left the three Genin.  He stumbled a bit, still not used to Apparating even though it’s been a long time since he first learned to do it. The fact that he didn’t splinch himself is very fortunate. It seems his old _Potter Luck_ decided to throw him a bone today for some reason. He _really_ didn’t need that on top of what’s happening.  

 

Steadying himself finally, Haruki looked around and alerted himself for any attacks. Even in the Old World, _Constant Vigilance_ was not just the ramblings of a paranoid old man; it was something that could mean Life or Death. Here in his current world, the very idea of it rings especially true. This is a world that kills the reckless and the stupid, and utterly destroys the unprepared. It’s a cynical view, he admits, but one that holds merit. He can almost hear Moody shouting his signature phrase while Snape berates him for being reckless.

 

Though there are noises of fighting happening in the background, it didn’t seem to be anywhere nearby. Relaxing a bit at this knowledge, he cast Notice-Me-Not and Disillusionment charms on himself non-verbally, and then cast a _Muffiliato_ on the entire roof deck. He then summoned the Elder Wand from within himself. A small green light appeared at the center of his right hand and the wand came up tip first and grasped the handle end when it finally came out. The wand is crooked like it had always been, looking for all intents and purposes, like a dead branch fallen from a tree. Correction, it looked like a dead branch fallen from a _very creepy_ tree.

 

Strictly speaking, he didn’t really need the Elder Wand to fight but there are just some spells that can’t be used without it, one of them being the Point-Me Spell which he needs at the moment. It seems that in this world, wands in general are unnecessary for casting most types of spells; raising one’s hand or hands and/or pointing them someplace and saying it is enough to do it. However, you also have to know the particular spell and what is does, and add just the right amount of _intent_ to use it. And while most spell-casting is done this way, some spells, like the Point-Me or even the Cruciatus Curse, need a conduit to work; the former needs a wand to act like a compass while the latter requires it for the user to be able to control the intensity and direction of the pain it inflicts.

 

Another thing of note in this world (at least according to Hermione and Remus) is chakra, which is essentially the same thing as magic, just more widespread and is present throughout all the denizens of this world. The things you can do with jutsus using chakra are nothing short of magical. Chakra also run in the same pathways in the body as magic does apparently. And because they are so similar, _jutsus_ (what they have in place of spells here) can be cast using either chakra or magic. The same cannot be said of traditional spells however, because the very nature of these spells requires magic to work. Chakra can do seemingly wondrous and almost impossible things but it cannot bend the very laws of nature like magic can. This advantage of magic over chakra however is not without its drawbacks since using magic to power jutsus requires more power and produces a slightly watered-down version of the jutsu  compared to when chakra is used.

 

Haruki put the wand in the palm of his hand and thought about the Hokage. With a clear picture in his head, he said “Point me, Senju Hashirama.” Normally, the wand would spin and finally stop, pointing at the general direction of the target, but there wasn’t so much as a twitch. This worried him but thought it could be a fluke so he tried again, more forcefully this time.

 

“Point me, Senju Hashirama.”

 

 Again, there was nothing. It is worrying to think about, but considering he just woke up from some tomb in the Uchiha District of all places, he probably isn’t at his best. He still doesn’t know how long he’s been out for. But he was able to throw curses and spells, even apparate, earlier. Maybe he should think of a different target.

 

“Point me, Senju Tobirama” but there was no movement. _“Not him too,”_ he thought, his husband of ten years seemingly missing like his brother. iItama and Kawarama are next, they were his children with Tobirama, twins named after Tobirama’s late younger brothers who didn’t live past their childhood.

 

Taking a deep breath, he once again positioned the Elder Wand on his palm and said, “Point me, Senju Itama.” Just like the first and second tries, the wand didn’t even budge. His brow furrowed getting frustrated. He pictured the other twin in his head he said, “Point me, Senju Kawarama” and yet again, nothing. _”That can’t be right,”_ he thought. He just saw them  a few hours before he blacked out.

 

“Point me, Senju Touka!”

“Point me, Senju Mito!”

“Point me, Senju Kureno!”

“Point me, Senju Haruhiko!”

“Point me, Senju …– !”

 

This continued for some time, with Haruki trying to locate every member of the Senju Clan he knew. Every name he thought up, he immediately pictured the face that went with it. His breaths were starting to come up short, and every time the Elder Wand did not move, his heart rate would speed up at the implications.

 

_“This can’t be happening. This isn’t making any sense!”_ he thought frantically. This whole exercise distressed Haruki to no end. There are only so many things that can cause this to happen. The Fidelius Charm could be one; no one can ever find you if the secret-keeper doesn’t divulge your whereabouts. It’s doubtful however, because shinobi who use chakra cannot and do not know how to use it. A ward or barrier is another one; even the chakra users have them. Another reason the spell could fail would be if the target did not exist or if the target is –

 

Green eyes widened. Shaking his head in denial, Haruki dropped the Elder Wand and stumbled almost falling, his legs seemingly unable to support him. Bile rose up to his mouth and he covered it with his left hand. His shoulders sagged and he felt cold dread fill him.

 

The possibility that the Senju are dead is devastating. It’s not the most likely scenario but it is the most frightening; he can’t find _any_ of the people he tried to locate so far because they’re no longer here. But the Point-Me spell isn’t perfect to begin with, he thought; it is one of the most reliable spells for finding someone, second only to Scrying (which requires blood or an object owned by the target). It will tell you what direction to go to, no matter where in the world the target could be, but it cannot tell you where the target is exactly. There are ways of hiding from it, just as he thought earlier.

 

Straightening up, Haruki summoned the Elder Wand attempting the spell once more. He’ll start with Tobirama and the kids. Maybe this time it’ll work.

 

“Point me, Senju Tobirama.”

 

He’s not surprised anymore that it didn’t move, but that just added more to his worry and frustration.  . His heart is beating strong enough to shake his body and he feels blood pounding in his ears.

 

“Point me, Senju Itama. Point me, Senju Kawarama.”

 

When the wand still did not budge after that, Haruki did the only thing he could do: he cried out, no longer holding it back. His magic flared around him and cracks appeared on the floor. He was breathing hard, a few tears falling down his face. Fortunately, the _Muffiliato_ were masking the sounds of his anger, and the Notice-Me-Not and Disillusionment effectively hid him in his moment of grief.

 

It’s been nothing but frustrating since he came to from the underground shrine and this just takes the cake. Questions on top of more questions and piles of disappointment are crushing him with their weight. He just let himself go for now, because if he bottled it up some more, he’s pretty sure he’ll be able to level a few structures in the immediate vicinity. As it is, he’s holding himself back, lest the enemy were alerted to his presence.

 

He finally calmed down after what felt like forever, his heart rate and breathing slowing down. After that little tantrum he threw, everything just seemed clearer in his mind; most of the haze of his panic lessening somehow. He has to think rationally about this. Hashirama wouldn’t let anything bad happen to everyone, and he along with Tobirama must’ve found a way to avoid detection. And given now that Suna and Oto have found their way into the village, such a strategy for a counter-attack would be just like Tobirama to think of, given how he never misses an opportunity to attack enemy weaknesses every chance he gets. Yes, that must be it. He refused to believe that his family could be harmed.

 

Assumptions were dangerous. He may not like the truth when revealed, but he must know for certain. His old life from his old world taught him that the hard way, and he almost lost his godfather for that.

 

For now he must set aside his feelings lest they become a hindrance, and he must steel himself and be prepared for anything because a lot is still at stake. There is still the matter of the invasion, and enemies are afoot. The three Genin he met earlier did say that the Hokage was last seen in the StadiumFinding the Hokage takes precedence, because enemy Nin will surely target him in a bid to destabilize the village. Without the Hokage and his Will of Fire, this village will surely fall.

 

Haruki stood up, and faced north. That’s where he must go to, the heart of this conflict, the Stadium. _“Hold on, everyone. I won’t let you down,”_ he thought, picturing the faces of his brethren, most especially his family. Finding his resolve, he made a run for it, jumping to the next building, and with great speed, disappeared from view.

 

He’ll get to the bottom of this somehow.

 

*                            *                             *

 

_“What a mess,”_ thought Hatake Kakashi. Everything was just going smoothly when the proverbial shit hit the fan. The Chuunin Exam Finals were getting good, what with Naruto beating Hyuuga Neji of all people, then Sasuke facing Sabaku no Gaara, only for the fight to stop half-way when smoke and enemy Nin suddenly started appearing. To top it all off, Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin and the Sandaime’s former pupil has the Hokage at knifepoint.

 

 Looking around him, the general audience seems to be asleep, locked in a genjutsu. At least Sakura had the presence of mind to dispel it before she got caught in it. She always was a smart girl, if a bit too obsessed with Uchiha Sasuke to care about anything else.

 

He’d had a bad feeling about the whole thing from the start, a conditioned response from his time in ANBU. There are plenty of things that could go wrong in this type of event, especially given how both the Hokage and Kazekage were here, plus the Daimyo of Fire Country and some members of his court in attendance as well. Then there’s the fact that foreign shinobi were given leave to roam the village freely, an attack like this was bound to happen. Orochimaru pretending to be the Kazekage just takes the cake.

 

The Sandaime trusted his allies too much, and Orochimaru took advantage of that. The Chuunin Exams turned out to be the perfect ruse to launch a surprise attack on one of the most powerful shinobi nations, on its own territory no less. The whole of Konoha got complacent and now they’re paying the price for it. He can’t help but wonder if these lapses in security were due to unpreparedness, complacency or just incompetence. He had to admit though, no one could’ve predicted this.

 

Orochimaru had always been unstable, but his brazenness today showed just how loose the screws in his head were. One has to wonder though why he came here, now of all times, after leaving the village so long ago.

 

As he pondered this, Kakashi looked at the people around him, asleep and completely unaware of what’s going on. Behind him, there was Maito Gai, his comrade and “ _Eternal Rival,”_ tense and ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. Below them near the railings of the audience seating, three ninjas were looking up toward them, two of them Oto-Nin and flanking the one at the center wearing a black cloak and an ANBU mask.

 

A pretender or a traitor, Kakashi didn’t know, but he had a feeling he knows who that one might be. He’s also pretty sure that person was the one to cast the genjutsu on the audience.

 

He looked to his right to where Sakura was seated among the sleeping audience. She didn’t dare move, seemingly paralyzed by fear. These shinobi are clear veterans compared to her, and they won’t hesitate to kill her. When he looked back at the three people below him and Gai, four more people joined the ranks of their opposition making them a total of seven, the new ones apparently pretending to be civilians under the genjutsu. Things are getting tense.

 

Two of the enemy Nin suddenly decided that Sakura was an easy target and made a run for her. Wide-eyed she just sat there unable to move. She then closed her eyes tight, lifted up her hands and covered her head, probably praying this wouldn’t be the end. Seeing this, Kakashi knew he has to act fast, or his student could be no more.

 

As the enemy approached Sakura, Kakashi used his speed and rushed to aid her. He placed himself in front her, took out his kunai, one on each hand, and slashed at the enemy, his arms both crossed. It all happened so fast, ending with both enemies dead and gurgling on the floor, blood gushing out from their slit throats. Kakashi then put himself in a crouching position readying for another attack. Meanwhile, Gai put himself in battle stance and repelled his own attackers.

 

Sakura opened her eyes to find him in front of her, and she seemed very glad for this. Kakashi then bent down and talked to her from his crouch, his head between his legs and said, “Sakura go find Naruto and Sasuke, they’ll need you. Sasuke went after Gaara, and Naruto and the others followed him. We’ll handle this.” She understood him because she took off for the nearest exit without any more prompting.

 

The remaining Oto-Nin engaged Kakashi and Gai in combat, their ANBU wannabe leader, just standing there observing everything, uncaring about his comrades. In a show of speed too fast for a normal person, they clashed with the enemy with taijutsu, mindful of the civilians that could be collateral damage if they used ninjutsu to counter-attack.

 

More Oto-Nin arrived at the scene and Kakashi knew without a doubt that if this continues, no matter how skilled he and Gai are, they will be overwhelmed at some point if reinforcements don’t come soon.

 

Two enemies rushed him, and with a kunai on each hand, Kakashi blocked their weapons before they could get to him. It was a pain trying to contain two enemies, but he was no stranger to this. It’s just more difficult because there are lives could be lost if he became rash. The enemies pressed further, trying to push him back, their blades clanking at the contact with each other. Nearby, Gai is also fighting enemies two at a time, somehow holding his own against them.

 

Deciding to end this impasse, Kakashi kneed the one on his left to the stomach. The Oto-Nin lost his grip on his kunai and stumbled to the floor in pain, his fellow Oto-Nin getting distracted looking at him surprised. Taking advantage of this opening, Kakashi dropped to the ground and swept the distracted shinobi with his leg, making him fall to ground on his back. He then proceeded to stab the one lying down on the stomach and slit his throat for good measure.

 

When he looked up the shinobi he kicked earlier was gone. Kakashi kept alert for him, knowing he could be anywhere. Sensing an oncoming attack, Kakashi parried a slash from his left. With his other hand, he made a hand seal and the enemy stopped movement, seemingly frozen in place. He then cut him down. Kakashi sensed another attack coming from behind. He readied his weapons and braced himself. He turned around to face the threat but what he saw next would haunt him for some time.

 

There suspended in the air was an Oto shinobi. He didn’t seem to be doing it of his own accord though, and instead is being held up by his neck by some unseen force. He was choking and the air surrounding him seem to pressing down on him adding more to the poor sod’s suffering. He desperately needed air and is clawing at whatever is holding him by his throat. Nothing seems to be there at all and he’s only succeeding at scratching at his neck.

 

Coming from one of the entrance doors to the stadium, walked a man. He wasn’t too tall, just barely reaching his shoulders, has black hair that was messy and slightly wavy framing his face that seemed for all intents and purposes, serene, and the greenest eyes he’d ever seen, like liquid poison.

 

He’s also wearing strange clothes: a short-sleeved jacket made of a tough-looking but scaly material, with fingerless gloves and boots to match; mesh armor underneath covered by a green vest that seemed too fancy to be used in battle; then there were the pants that looked to be the same material as the vest, but black instead of green. Then there on the stranger’s belt buckle and hitai-ate (worn as a headband) is the symbol of Konoha.

 

The stranger had one hand raised forward making a squeezing gesture. At the same time, the man suspended in mid-air started choking more. His other hand glowed green, and a short wooden stick (more like a twig really) came out. Keeping the enemy afloat, he made a slashing gesture with his right hand holding this unusual weapon. Something connected with the floating enemy and he died, blood coming up from his mouth choking him; the enemy was bisected, his lower body falling down on the floor, while the upper body is still held by his neck, blood and guts spilling and drenching the ground Kakashi was standing on.

 

After a moment, the strange Konoha-Nin let go of his hold on the corpse, and it dropped to join its other half in a pool of its own blood in front of Kakashi.

 

That little display of power made everyone in the immediate vicinity gape, friend and enemy alike. Even the ANBU wannabe tensed and disappeared in a puff of smoke, making Kakashi believe that this newcomer is an ally. Thank Kami-sama, they could use some reinforcements. 

 

_“At least he’s one of us,”_ Kakashi thought, mentally breathing a sigh of relief. This beautiful stranger is deadly, his lethality belied by his gentle features. The power he held is immense, he can tell, and Kakashi is glad that they’re on the same side. That was a brutal way to die and he didn’t fancy joining his ancestors in that manner.

 

Somewhere in the periphery, Gai took advantage of the distraction to subdue some of the enemy Nin.

When he was done, he turned towards Kakashi and the newcomer, focusing more on the latter.

 

“Might you tell us who you are friend?” asked Gai, moving beside Kakashi and addressing the metaphorical elephant in the room. “You are wearing Konoha heraldry, but are you friend or foe?”

 

“I’m a friend. My name is Senju Haruki, and I need to find Hokage-sama. It’s important.”

 

_“A Senju, here? Aren’t they extinct?”_ thought Kakashi. Not really though, if you count Tsunade-hime, one of the legendary Sannin. With her being the last one there is, they might as well be.

 

_“_ WAS _the last,”_ Kakashi thought. If what Senju Haruki says is true, then he’s a member of a long-dead, albeit powerful clan who’s only just now coming out of the woodwork. Why he’d look for the Hokage, is anyone’s guess. He glanced toward Gai, apparently having the same thought as him.

 

“Who are you? It’s only polite to tell me your names after saying mine isn’t it?” Senju asked walking down the steps to where they are, mindful of the bloody mess he left there. He walked with a grace not seen in many shinobi, with surety and certainty to every step.

 

“I am Maito Gai,” said Gai, feeling completely at ease with Senju. “And this youthful fellow with me, is my friend and eternal rival, Hatake Kakashi” Leave it to Gai to be embellish about youthfulness even during situations like this.

 

“Quite an entrance you just pulled. Bit overkill though Senju-san.” said Kakashi, looking at the dismembered corpse of the Oto-Nin on the floor.

 

“Got your attention didn’t it? Anyway, where’s Hokage-sama? It’s important that I find him.”

 

“The Sandaime would be up there, Senju-san.” Said Gai, pointing to where the Hokage is being held at knifepoint by Orochimaru. “He’s being held hostage by Orochimaru, though Kami knows why.”

 

“Sandaime?” Senju asked tilting head to the side. It would be cute if not a bit worrying. Who doesn’t know about Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage and so called _God of Shinobi?_ Looking at him, he seemed genuinely confused, like he doesn’t know such basic facts.

 

Sensing movement, Kakashi, Gai, and Senju looked to the periphery to find two four-man teams of ANBU suddenly came out of the woodwork, jumping on roofs and railings. They were all wearing cloaks, all but one wearing black. They also have masks to cover their faces, typical of ANBU garb. The one in the white cloak is obviously their leader, giving them orders while they run.

 

“Squad A, we’re going up and protect the Hokage. Squad B, you’re to protect the nobles. Double time!” The ANBU leader said.

 

“Yes sir!” chorused the other ANBU. They then split into two groups, with one group consisting of the ANBU leader and three subordinates going to the rooftops towards the Hokage, and the other four going down to wherever the Daimyo and his court are hiding.

 

“Listen, it’s been fun chatting with you both but I have to run. It’s important I get to the Hokage. If we survive this I’m sure we’ll get to meet again, but getting him out of danger is imperative.”

 

With that, the mysterious Senju Haruki took off at a run and went after the ANBU towards the Hokage.

 

“Should we go after them too?” asked Gai.

 

“No, we have plenty to do here. Let the ANBU do their jobs. I also have a feeling that Senju is going to be useful.”

  
Enemy shinobi suddenly appeared, both from Oto and Suna, making Kakashi’s earlier statement a bit prophetic. Konoha-Nin also arrived and engaged the enemy, giving both him and Gai some much needed reinforcements to even the playing field.

 

“Besides, this is the Hokage we’re talking about.”

 

Taking out their weapons, they then joined the fight.

 

 

**~Tsudzuku…~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So turns out, I didn’t do too badly for my first ever fic. I got me a few kudos for this story as well as a few bookmarks AND it’s only been a few days, and that was just first Chapter considering. The reviews aren't bad either. I’m really happy with the turnout. 
> 
> So I did an mpreg, though it happened in the past (I’m NOT writing a sex scene for this fic. Besides, I can’t). If any of you don’t like this sort of thing, I’m sorry you feel that way, but I’m actually a huge fan and I’m resolved to writing one, so there.
> 
> Good? Bad? Lemme know what you think in the Reviews. Hasta luego~!


	3. A Painful Truth Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No copyright infringement intended, and this is just for fun. Also, no Beta so any mistakes are mine. 
> 
> Jutsus will be written with their Japanese names, and their translations will be in a bracket next to it. For example: “Kage Bunshin no jutsu” [Shadow Clone Technique]. It took me awhile to find the jutsu names as well as the HP spells that will be showing up throughout this chapter and succeeding chapters as well. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this one!

Haruki ran up the rooftops with the ANBU squad, catching up with them. They didn’t seem to mind having him there. The ANBU leader even gave him a small nod of his head acknowledging his presence. He figures they probably need all the help they can get during this difficult time.

 

The place where the Hokage is being held at knifepoint wasn’t too far from where he met Hatake Kakashi and Maito Gai, but it was steep and quite high. He could fly there unsupported (a spell he learned from Snape when he passed his memories to him), but it would leave him too open for attacks and tire him out more quickly. He needs to conserve his magic for the fight that is sure to come.

 

When they got to roof, which was shrouded in smoke, they were immediately accosted by Suna-Nin.

 

“You will not interfere!” yelled the ANBU leader taking out his kunai, one on each hand, and cutting two of the enemy down as they approached the ANBU (plus one) party. Haruki also went on the offensive and said, “Out of the way!” and blasted two other Suna-Nin off to the side with a _Flippendo_ , effectively removing any more obstacles.

 

Just as the smoke finally dispersed, a long-haired snake-faced man (must be the Orochimaru Gai talked about) took the Hokage to the highest point of the roof in the very middle of it.

 

Haruki caught a glimpse of the man wearing the Hokage’s garb and frowned. This isn’t the Hokage. Hashirama may be an old man by shinobi standards (with them not living that long), but he certainly wasn’t _that_ old. It doesn’t make any sense, just like things weren’t making any sense since waking up entombed: the Uchiha are missing, the Senju too, the village has gotten bigger, it’s also under attack, and an old man is Hokage. A _lot_ of changes seemingly happened overnight.

 

“You won’t get away with this Orochimaru!” said the old man.

 

“You’d be surprised at how much I’ve gotten away with already, Sarutobi-sensei.” said Orochimaru, smiling in that sinister way that gets under your skin. Haruki had seen that kind of smile on Bellatrix Lestrange; no has gotten to that level of madness, at least until now it seems.

 

Hearing the name Sarutobi makes Haruki do a double-take. That’s also when he _did_ get a good look of the _Hokage._ The face may be wrinkled and there’s a goatee now too, but he can’t know for sure unless…

 

“Sarutobi..? You mean, Sarutobi Hiruzen?!?” exclaimed Haruki, finally having gained a piece of the puzzle he’s been trying to solve since earlier. His suspicions were proven right when the old man made eye contact with him, and recognition dawned on his face.

 

“Impossible! It can’t be… Haruki-san?!”

 

So it is Sarutobi-kun. He has been gone for a very long time then. The implications of this are sure to be great, frightening even, but answers will have to wait, preferably until _after_ this ordeal is finished and they survive this.

 

Suddenly, four people appeared situating themselves on the four corners surrounding Sarutobi and Orochimaru. The four downed Suna-Nin, were apparently disguises by these individuals. Three shinobi and one kunoichi comprise this party of newcomers. They were all wearing the same motif of clothes held by a large rope as a belt and knotted at the back into an inverted bow. Though most are not wearing Oto hitai-ate, it’s pretty much a given where their allegiances lie.

 

“Finally, my time to shine!” said a dark-skinned Oto-Nin grinning like a loon. His black hair is tied in a high ponytail and has six arms, two of which were across his chest. He’s wearing a blue sleeveless tunic big with big enough holes to fit his six arms, black shorts, and bandages on the legs and sandals. He’s the only one with a hitai-ate, and he wears It as a headband.

 

“We’ve all been waiting for this. I was getting frustrated in that disguise.” said another shinobi. This one had white hair covering the right side of his face, and he’s wearing a brown long-sleeved top reaching just a little bit to below the elbows also with black shorts with bandages as socks and sandals. Around his neck, he is sporting a bead necklace, and on his back is a silhouette of what seems like another head, but is unmoving.

 

“You’re all sweaty too, so gross.” said the lone kunoichi in the group, sneering at her companion. She’s a little on the short side, has pink hair, and her head is covered by a hat wrapped in bandages. Her outfit is a simple beige tunic reaching to her thighs and also the same lower body pieces as the previous two.

 

“Hey, chill out guys, we’ve got a job to do here.” said a big man looking all serious. He has a Mohawk on his head spiked at the front and looks like a horn. He’s wearing a sleeveless tunic and has black pants with the lower legs wrapped in bandages, as well as sandals.

 

Haruki’s group looked on as the four Oto-Nin surrounded Sarutobi and Orochimaru. The ANBU leader then addressed their group and said, “We have to give Hokage-sama back-up. Beware of any traps.”

 

“Yes sir!” chorused the group, including Haruki. They then made a move almost as one, to get to the Hokage.

 

Just as they moved, Orochimaru said, “Do it.”

 

The four Oto-Nin then faced outward with their backs turned from Orochimaru and made a hand sign. Afterwards, they put their palms up and together said, “Shishienjin!” [Four Violet Flames Formation]

 

Four violet lights erupted from the Oto-Nin and then went up and connected with each other, creating a large cubic barrier.

 

Haruki’s group was just approaching when one of the ANBU, who was on point, hit the barrier. He almost got in too, but instead got caught in their trap. He screamed from the pain of being burned alive, his whole body ablaze after he hit the barrier that suddenly popped up. Haruki and the others stopped and moved back, caught by surprise. This was completely unexpected.

 

Snapping out of it, Haruki then put a hand up said, “Aguamenti!” A jet of water then burst forth from his hand and went to the burning man who was rolling down toward them, and effectively killed the fire. Before he could keep rolling and fall to his death, Haruki cast, “Aresto Momentum,” and stopped the man. The rest of the ANBU group plus Haruki then regrouped around the burnt ANBU member.

 

“A barrier. There’s got to be a way past this without getting injured or dying.” the ANBU leader said, he and his group looking at the monstrosity that put down their comrade.

 

Meanwhile, Haruki began to work on fixing the injured man up, whose breathing was heavy, pulses fast, and is in great pain. He then took out a number of potions out from his pouch and poured them down the man’s throat after removing his mask. When the man was asleep from the potion, he muttered a few words in Latin and his hands glowed bluish green. He put them on the man’s chest and proceeded to pour magic in him to heal and regenerate the burnt tissues.

 

Haruki briefly looked at the scene in front of him. It was an impressive structure, and quite impenetrable from the outside. He then returned to what he was previously doing, not chancing anything going wrong with his patient. Healing Magic takes a lot of concentration after all.

 

Things have certainly taken a turn for the worse. Any hope of aiding the Hokage is seemingly gone, and they have a man down for the count. Haruki is powerful but his reserves are not unlimited. Healing needs a lot power to do, and this man needs him to do quite a lot. Add to that, he’s been casting spells left, right and center prior to coming here, he might not have enough magic when shit hits fan.

 

“He’s stabilizing and his tissues are regenerating. I’ve given him some potions for the pain and to replenish fluids but I still need to heal him again later, I just need a moment to catch my breath.” said Haruki, panting from exertion. Healing the man took a bit out of him. This small chance for a break is quite welcome.

 

His patient’s face is now recognizable, his skin tissue slowly healing all over. He’s pale, probably from dehydration from the fire, so Haruki poured another potion, this time a Blood-Replenishing one, down the injured man’s throat.

 

He put the mask back on the unconscious man’s face. It wouldn’t do if an ANBU’s identity is compromised; they’re anonymous for a reason.

 

“Thank you, sir.” said an ANBU to him, from his right flank. “We almost lost a good man to this.”

 

“It _is_ quite fortunate that a Medic-Nin is with us.” said the ANBU leader.

 

“Just putting my skills to good use, Taichou.” said Haruki, addressing the ANBU leader.

 

“This is critical. There must be a way to get in.” the captain said looking at the monstrosity before them.

 

“Well, we can’t chance more of us getting injured or dying trying to get in to that thing they’ve put up.” said Haruki, taking a deep breath. He looked at the barrier once more. That damn thing is almost like the ones Remus and the others put up during the Battle of Hogwarts. Those barriers disintegrated anyone entering them; this one burned you to death.

 

“We’ve been outsmarted, it seems. For now, we can’t do anything but wait and see, much as it pains me to do so. We have to have faith in Hokage-sama, ANBU-taichou. This isn’t just any shinobi we’re talking about” said Haruki, addressing the ANBU leader.

 

He was once reckless as a youth, but has learned to be patient since the old war and becoming a “mother.” You do get better as you go along, and time is the only requirement.

 

The rest of the group didn’t comment and instead kept guard on their downed comrade and remained vigilant for any more attacks, as well as observing the goings on inside the barrier.

 

Haruki muttered a few words making his hands glow, and resumed healing the unconscious ANBU. He’ll just have to have faith in Tobirama’s teachings and Hiruzen’s skills to get out of this.

 

*          *          *

 

Inside the barrier, Sarutobi Hiruzen is wondering where he went wrong in all this. Orochimaru, one of his most prized students, has become unrecognizable in his thirst for the forbidden. His pursuit of knowledge, a commendable thing itself, has gone too far, becoming an obsession like no other. This brazen attack on the village he once belonged to is testament to the madness that is Orochimaru.

 

“Well, well, well. We had intended to capture Sasuke-kun, while Gaara was causing trouble. But I suppose nothing ever really goes as planned, ne, Sarutobi-sensei.”

 

“I see. So that was the plan. Konoha and Uchiha Sasuke were your targets all along.”

 

It’s not making any sense why he’s doing this. What could he possibly want with Uchiha Sasuke?

 

“Hah. Don’t think yourself and this village so important old man. You’re stubbornness and incompetence has allowed me to outmaneuver you. I’ve defeated you.”

 

“Hmph. Nothing is decided until the very end. I taught you that years ago, Orochimaru.” said Hiruzen and added, “I knew, or at least thought, this day would eventually come. However, you will not defeat me that easily!”

 

“I told you, Sandaime, you should’ve picked me as Yondaime. And you should’ve picked a Godaime before now,” said Orochimaru adding “because right here, right now, you are going to die!” He then licked the kunai he was holding after saying this, all the while looking at his old mentor.

 

Outside the barrier, Sarutobi saw Haruki sneer at Orochimaru for what he just did.

 

That was another thing that surprised him: Senju Haruki. The man disappeared decades ago, leaving behind his family and clan. No one had ever found him, seemingly vanishing to thin air.

 

Some thought his old clan, the mysterious “Kurokami Clan,” the one he belonged to prior to marrying into the Senju, took him by force. But even they were perplexed by his disappearance. They had jutsus that could find anyone anywhere and them not finding one of their own meant something bad must’ve happened.

 

The trail he left behind became a dead-end and even the Nidaime Hokage had given up after some time; he never really was the same after that. He became colder and more calculating, more so before he met Haruki-san. Their children, Itama and Kawarama (another mysterious feat of the Kurokami clan for their men to be capable of bearing children) also became detached, and some years later, also disappeared shortly after the Nidaime’s death, the same way their mother did years prior.

 

Now here he was, helping the ANBU and using his skills as a healer to aid them. He didn’t look a day older than when Team Tobirama first encountered him and the Kurokami all those years ago.

 

He then looked back to Orochimaru hearing him giggling to himself. He had some tears in his eyes. Curious thing, that.

 

“Are you crying because you’re so happy? Or is it because you feel sorrow in your heart, a feeling of sadness you can’t shake as you contemplate killing your old teacher?” asked Sarutobi, sneering a bit as he said it.

 

Orochimaru then smiled and said, “Not at all.” He then raised the kunai and stabbed his other hand, drawing blood and spilling some on their feet. He then yawned and said wiping his eyes, “I was getting sleepy there for a moment, but now I’m finally awake.”

 

“Is that right?” Sarutobi retorted drily.

 

Orochimaru then let go of Sarutobi and walked a short ways away from him. On his right hand, the kunai he stabbed himself with is still embedded.

 

“Hmm. That’s what I thought. I also think you’re not the kind of person to hold a grudge. So this thing you’re doing makes me wonder if you have a goal or a motive.”

 

“I guess I do kind of have a goal. Let me see how I can explain it...” said Orochimaru, his back to the Sandaime. “I find it interesting to see things in motion. I don’t find it pleasurable when the world is still.” he said, taking off the kunai embedded in his hand. Removing his stolen Kazekage hat, he continued, “Some might find it good, beautiful even, but I find it completely boring.”

 

He then tossed away the hat, with it hitting the barrier and burning to ash.

 

“Naturally, I want to put things in motion myself, and the first step: crushing this pathetic excuse for a village!” said Orochimaru, now facing his once-mentor.

 

Turning to face his ex-pupil, Sarutobi said, “I see you haven’t changed a bit.”

 

This stand-off, this battle will be a great one, of that Sarutobi is certain. This will decide finally if Orochimaru is still worth any sort of redemption.

 

Smirking, Orochimaru said, “I’ve always wanted to fight you sensei. Now I’m finally getting my chance.”

 

Outside the barrier, the ANBU group can only look on as things got more and more tense.

 

“This barrier can only be broken from the inside. If Hokage-sama can take outl one of those people holding it up...” the ANBU captain outside said.

 

Almost like jinxing it, the six-armed Oto shinobi then said, “Let’s get this show on the road. Put up a barrier on the inside too.” The other two sets of his arms then raised and palms up behind proceeded to create another barrier.

 

“Right.” said the other three, and (though they didn’t have six arms like their friend) did the same.

 

“Hmph. Doesn’t look like I’ll be getting out of this easily.” said Sarutobi, more to himself than to Orochimaru. The only to drop the barrier now, is if one or both of them dies, and he will not make it easy on the younger shinobi.

 

“Of course it won’t be easy. I know you, you’d hate it if someone got in your way.” replied Orochimaru.

 

The wind picked up and their clothes were swaying in the breeze. Suddenly, both of them made a move and the fight has officially started.

 

Doing a series of hand seals, Sarutobi yelled, “Kawara Shuriken no jutsu!” [Roof Tile Shuriken] Pieces of the roof tiles levitated and began spinning, hurling towards Orochimaru. Orochimaru then retaliated by doing his own set of seals and jumped, avoiding the tile shuriken.

 

“This is too easy!” exclaimed Orochimaru midair. His tongue then turned into a snake and elongated. It stretched and bit Sarutobi in the neck, its jaws strangling him. “With a weak jutsu like that, how do you expect to beat me Sarutobi-sensei?!”

 

His eyes widened when Sarutobi suddenly stopped struggling and his whole body became mud and melted on the ground. “ _An Earth Kawarimi.”_ [Substitute] Orochimaru thought. He landed beside the remnants of the substitute and began to sense around where the real Sarutobi had gone, his snake tongue going back to its original shape and returning to his mouth.

 

Sarutobi then appeared behind him and said, “Doton: Doryuu Taiga!” [Earth Release: Earth Flow River] Orochimaru fell as if falling on water and was swept by the strong currents of mud going downhill, like a landslide. He was able to get some balance and made some seals saying, “Is that all you’ve got?” and smirked.

 

“From far it.” Sarutobi then cast seals and said, “Doton: Doryuudan!” [Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet] A dragon’s head made of earth then appeared beside him. Opening its mouth, it began firing a barrage of mud projectiles toward Orochimaru.

 

More hand seals were made and Sarutobi added another jutsu to the mix. This time he said, “Katon: Karyuu Endan!” [Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet] Taking a deep breath, he blew fire from his mouth. The fire then coated the projectiles from the Earth Dragon, turning them into molten lava. This mixture of jutsus then hit Orochimaru dead on, seemingly catching him by surprise.

 

The observers of the fight were awestruck at this display of power from their Hokage. Others know he is not a man to be trifled with, but seeing that he is no pushover is a different matter altogether.

 

“He combined Earth and Fire Release jutsus, amazing. Excellent work Hokage-sama!” said one of the ANBU outside. Haruki looked proud, even cheering him on quietly. With a nod to his direction he says, “Good one Sarutobi.”

 

The barrage of jutsus was over, but Sarutobi knew the fight was far from it. Knowing his student, this can only be another trick. Narrowing his eyes, he says, “You can stop your dramatics now Orochimaru.”

 

“You caught me, guilty as charged.” said Orochimaru, giggling like a loon. He rose from the remains of the roof they were on that was hit. “Fair’s fair though, it’s foolish to underestimate me. Did you really think you can kill me with those pitiful jutsus?”

 

Smirking at his ex-student, Sarutobi retorted, “Mouthing off again, eh? Are you taunting me because you know you can’t defeat me? Hmph!”

 

“Aw, don’t be mad sensei. You know difficult students are all the more rewarding to teach.” Orochimaru said, licking his lips with his snake-like tongue and grinning afterwards.

 

Orochimaru then jumped up over to the opposite end of the roof and once again faced Sarutobi. Then he said, “Isn’t it about time we stopped playing around, ne, Sarutobi-sensei? After all, this isn’t an academy class.”

 

“Yes, you’re right about that.” replied Sarutobi. With one fluid motion, he shed his Hokage garb to reveal his shinobi battle gear. It consisted of a black jumpsuit, which features mesh segments over the lower portions of his limbs, and a green gauntlet that covered his right wrist, forearm and elbow. He’s also wearing an armored hood with a bandanna-like Konoha hitai-ate over this, which has two long straps. The kanji for "Sandaime Hokage" is inscribed onto an additional piece of metal plating on his back.  He also has two shuriken holsters strapped to either side of his back.

 

“Did you foresee this, dying this way, sensei?” and with that Orochimaru also shed his fake Kazekage garb, revealing a pale yellow tunic covering a black long-sleeved shirt underneath, grey pants that reached mid-calf, and a giant rope as a belt tied with into a knot behind to form an inverted bow. His whole outfit is very similar to his minions who put up the barrier.

 

The pressure in the air was rising, everyone in the immediate vicinity feeling the power emanating from the two powerful shinobi facing each other. Tiles were cracking beneath Orochimaru’s feet and pieces were floating upwards defying gravity.

 

“I won’t go easy on you, just because you’re old and frail now.”

 

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Orochimaru. Depending on how good you’ve beome, I might just send you back to the Academy”

 

“At least try to put some effort and make this interesting.”

 

And they’re off.

 

*          *          *

 

Outside the barrier, Haruki and the ANBU squad are feeling the heat.

 

“T- too much chakra..!” said one ANBU, feeling strained.

 

“The very air itself has become heavy, I can feel it bearing down on me.” said another.

 

Haruki has a bad feeling about this. Whatever Orochimaru’s planning it can’t be good, and he has to help Sarutobi now. This feeling of death is familiar to him, from his old life before crossing the Veil with the others.

 

Cutting off the magic in his hands, Haruki addressed his group and said, “I’ve done all I can for him. I’ve healed his most serious injuries, and regenerated the burnt tissues, but he still needs to be in a hospital to be sure. He’s stable for now, which is as good a news as any.”

 

“Appreciate it.” the captain said nodding in thanks.

 

Looking back to the fight, they saw both men are running towards each other. Sarutobi threw a shuriken at Orochimaru, and made a series of hand seals and said, “Shuriken Kage Bunshin no jutsu!” [Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique]

 

The shuriken multiplied in number and made their way to their target. Meanwhile, Orochimaru also made his own seals and said, “Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei!” [Summoning: Impure World Resurrection] 

 

“No. It can’t be!” exclaimed Haruki. He knows what those blocks of stone are, or at least what they contain. That technique was deemed a Kinjutsu, a forbidden technique, for a reason. And now, this monster Orochimaru is using the very thing he fought so hard to have sealed away. He needs to help Sarutobi now because as skilled and powerful as he is now, he won’t be able to stop the things within them alone.

 

He looked around to see any possible way to get into the barrier. He could go from below, but it would take too long and by the time he got in, Orochimaru will have summoned more against them. He could force an opening with magic, but he doesn’t have enough magic reserves to do that alone after all the spells and jutsus he’s done. The only thing left is to Apparate in, but…  

 

“ _Apparition, that’s it! Why didn’t I think of it sooner?”_

 

Theoretically, the barrier they put up is not an Anti-Apparition Ward so Apparating in is possible. He’ll just have to hope he doesn’t splinch himself, and also still have enough magic to fight against the enemy.

 

“No time like the present.” he said. Closing his eyes, he pictured the other side of the barrier, next to Sarutobi. With a loud _crack_ he Disapparated, startling the group of ANBU who were with him.

 

Two have been successfully summoned: one with the Kanji for First, and one with the Kanji for the number two. The shuriken Sarutobi threw earlier then hit the two summoned objects.

 

A third one, one with the Kanji for the number four, was just about to come out completely when Haruki appeared with a loud _crack_ and yelled, “Sarutobi, interrupt that summon now!”

 

Sarutobi didn’t have to be told twice and made necessary seals. The third summon stopped its ascent halfway returning it back to where it came from. The interruption succeeded but two had been completed. Whoever they were that Orochimaru summoned, Haruki knows this is one of those fights that will haunt him for the rest of his life, more so than the Battle of Hogwarts did for him.

 

The summoned objects are actually coffins, containing the recreated bodies of the unfortunate dead infused with their souls dragged from their rest in the afterlife. Such a despicable jutsu, using the dead as little more than slaves. These reincarnated people are near indestructible, mindless, and little more than cannon fodder.

 

Haruki knows _what_ to expect. He just doesn’t know _whom_ to expect.

 

“I can’t believe he summoned those two. I’m so sorry about this Haruki-san, but you must steel yourself for what is to come.” said Sarutobi, addressing Haruki who was still wondering to the identities of the summoned. His voice was strained and full of emotion.

 

Haruki looked at the summoned coffins, and what he saw shocked him.

 

The first coffin revealed Senju Hashirama, the man he knew as Hokage-sama, and one he was proud to call brother in private. He looks just as when he last saw him; tall with his long black hair combed back, a red hitai-ate worn as a headband. His attire consisted of dark red traditional armor — like a samurai — worn over a simple black suit. This armor was made of numerous metal plates, formed into multiple protective guards along his body, namely his chest, waist, shoulders, outer thighs and forearms. Each collar of his shoulder guards bore the Senju symbol on them.

 

The second coffin contained Senju Tobirama, the man he called husband, father of his children, and the love of his life. He looks so handsome and dashing; tall, fair-skinned with white, shaggy hair, and three red markings on his face — one under each of his eyes, and one on his chin. He’s wearing the wartime attire of his kin like his brother: armor emblazoned with the Senju symbol worn over a simple black suit, with a white fur collar. This armor was constructed from numerous blue metal plates, formed into multiple protective guards along his body, in particular, his chest, waist, groin, lower behind, shoulders and upper arms. This clothing was accompanied by sandals and a  _happuri,_ facial armor covering the cheeks, engraved with the Konoha emblem. Beneath his shoulder armor he wore two bands on each arm.

 

They both look so peaceful standing there with their eyes closed. Unmoving, like dolls or even statues.

 

“NO!!!” Haruki screamed, dropping to his knees, tears freely flowing down his face. He couldn’t even stop his sobbing if he wanted to. He wouldn’t normally breakdown like this in front of strangers, but his world has just been rocked by the revelation that in his absence, Tobirama, Hashirama, and probably their entire clan is dead. He denied it to himself earlier, telling himself that they were okay.  How wrong he was.

 

“How long?” he asked Sarutobi

 

“What?” Sarutobi asked in return, unsure of what is being asked of him.

 

“How long was I…?” G _one? Absent?_ He couldn’t say it. He felt responsible for their deaths. The grief Tobirama alone must’ve felt when he thought he left them, let alone the children… It was just too much.

 

“I am so sorry Haruki-san but you’ve been missing for decades now. You showing up here was completely unexpected.” replied Sarutobi looking grim.

 

It just doesn’t seem possible. This whole time, he thought he was just gone a few months at most, but to hear that it’s been decades…

 

“And Itama and Kawarama…?”

 

“They also disappeared years after you did, in much the same way. It was shortly after your husband the Nidaime Hokage-sama passed away. He died in battle, if you must know.”

 

While he was beset in his grief, Orochimaru looked at them smugly, grinning like the madman he was. “So you brought a friend over did you? No matter, you’re both going to die anyway. So what are you going to do now, Sarutobi-sensei? What _can_ you do?!”

 

“Shut up…” Haruki said lowly.

 

Orochimaru clearly offended by being addressed in this manner, glared at him and said, “Who are you to talk to me like this? Do you have any idea what I can do to you-“

 

“I said shut up, you insufferable lout!” said Haruki, channeling Severus Snape. He looked up from his position and returned the glare back to Orochimaru. His eyes glowed Avada Kedavra-like, promising pain and death to the ones they were directed at.

 

He stood up, summoning the Elder Wand on one hand and the Sword of Gryffindor on the other. Pointing the sword to Orochimaru, he said, “It wasn’t enough that you’ve come to destroy the village that cared for you, even kill the man who practically raised you. Now you’ve even brought back my dead husband and kin from the afterlife to become playthings and pawns for your sick game. I won’t stand for it. I’m going to end you painfully for this!”

 

At this point the air around has become heavy with Haruki’s magic, seemingly fueled by the rage and grief he felt. He felt endowed with magic, the tiredness he felt earlier seemingly forgotten.

 

“Is that right?” said Orochimaru. He licked his lips in that creepy way he does, and grinned.

 

With the resurrection of the Shodai Hokage-sama and the Nidaime Hokage-sama, as well as Senju Haruki’s involvement, the outcome of this fight is now completely unpredictable.

 

Only one thing is for certain though: this battle is certainly getting more and more interesting.

 

**~Tsudzuku…~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit hard to write because of the jutsus and spells, and I was having trouble wording it right. There’s also the issue of major exams this week, hence the longer time for an update, as well as the mistakes in grammar and spelling in previous chapters, which I’ve edited and corrected (Don’t have a Beta). 
> 
> I’ve also been concerned about the length of the last two chapters. They were thousands of words each, but even I felt they were too short. I don’t think I’ve remedied that, but I would like to think that I at least made a good delivery of the story. Hasta luego~!


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